Todd Graham's coaching tree grew another branch Friday when Mike Norvell, an assistant on his staff for nine years including four at Arizona State, was introduced as the head coach at Memphis.

Norvell worked under Graham at Tulsa and Pittsburgh before ASU, where he was deputy head coach/offensive coordinator and coached quarterbacks.

"I've got a joyful heart for him and his family," Graham said Friday after ASU's first bowl practice. "Obviously we hate to lose Mike, but it's great complement to our program. It's reflective on the job our players have done. I told them if Mike was here, he'd tell them that."

ASU wide receiver D.J. Foster said he at first did not believe the news Thursday that Norvell was leaving. "I'm so happy for him, the work he put in, what he's brought to his team and the opportunity he's given me. It's well deserved. I wish him nothing but the best. They're already good, but he's going to bring some of the cultures and values here.

"I've never seen someone that could come out here and turn it on and be such a hard-working coach and be intense then right when that whistle blows have conversations about life and his daughter. It's unbelievable how he's able to switch those personalities, and that's important being around all these young men every day. He's taught us a lot about life as well as football."

Running back Demario Richard sent social media messages to ASU recruits encouraging them not to be affected by Norvell's move. "Arizona State is bigger than everybody here," he said. "I understand if they decommit, but if you're loyal like you say you are be here."

Other Graham assistants who have become head coaches are Gus Malzahn at Auburn, David Beaty at Kansas and Chad Morris at SMU. None of those were with Graham at ASU.

"That's what you want for all your guys (assistants) just like I want every one of our guys (players) to get drafted in the first round and get great jobs and have great careers," Graham said. "It's personal to me because we're very, very close. I couldn't be more happy for him."

Norvell, 34, is replacing Justin Fuente, who is leaving Memphis for Virginia Tech after going a combined 19-6 in the last two seasons. Fuente's path to a Power 5 conference coaching job is likely what Norvell has in mind but first he has to prove he can successfully lead a Group of 5 program.

“There’s a lot of opportunities that have been discussed in my coaching career of places that I could’ve gone, of people I could’ve went and led,” Norvell said at his press conference, which began less than an hour before ASU's practice. "But I was in such a great situation it had to be right. It had to be all about the fit and all about the family.”

Norvell will not coach with ASU in its bowl game, which could be as late as Jan. 2 if the Sun Devils are selected Sunday to play in the Cactus Bowl at Chase Field.

"We'll work through that day by day," Graham said. "Obviously coach (Chris) Thomsen and our other offensive staff are well equipped and we can handle it. Taylor (Kelly) will work with the quarterbacks until we know how we're progressing."

Thomsen, ASU assistant head coach who coaches the offensive line, was head coach at Abilene Christian from 2005-11 and also interim head coach at Texas Tech in a 2012 bowl game win. Kelly, ASU's starting quarterback from 2012-14, is a graduate assistant coach.

Graham said the timetable to find a replacement for Norvell for next season is "whatever time it takes to find an exact right person within our staff or outside our staff. We want an educator. We want someone who possesses the same philosophical beliefs. It will be a person who is a great teacher and believes our way.

"It's an attractive situation. We've got a great group of young men and a great system I think a lot of people would be interested in. We're going to get the best person who fits us."

Graham said ASU will continue to be run, play-action pass offense and "we just want to get better doing it."

The Sun Devils are 6-6 this season and 34-18 in Graham's four seasons with four consecutive bowl appearances. Under Norvell, ASU is No. 23 nationally in total offense this season and No. 40 in scoring offense. In the two preceding seasons, ASU was No. 10 (2013) and No. 16 (2014) in scoring offense.

During practice, ASU veterans were not in pads and finished earlier than younger players, who donned pads for the final 30-45 minutes. Tight end Kody Kohl was out and walking using a crutch from a right leg injury suffered against California last week.

Those making notable plays in team periods for the younger players included linebacker Malik Lawal with a fumble recovery, wide receiver Eric Lauderdale with long pass plays and wide receiver Terrell Chatman with a practice-ending touchdown.

Those in attendance included safety/linebacker recruit Calvin Bundage of Edmond, Okla, accompanied by his brother Cayman, a center at Arizona.

The Sun Devils will practice Saturday afternoon then not again until Dec. 11. Players are currently in the midst of final exams.